


The Morning of Battle Has Come

by MaeveBran



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-11
Updated: 2013-12-11
Packaged: 2018-01-04 08:34:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1078853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaeveBran/pseuds/MaeveBran
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ichabod and Katrina's farewell the morning of the fateful battle with the Horseman in 1781.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Morning of Battle Has Come

**Author's Note:**

> Title is a line in the song "The Brave and Bonny Host".

Sleepy Hollow 1781

Ichabod Crane woke when dawn was just beginning to think about breaking. He knew he should get an hour or so more sleep- he'd need the energy later. General Washington had told his officers that today would be the day of the battle and Ichabod knew he'd expend all his energy in the fight. That would be the prudent thing to do, but Ichabod also knew that he might not survive the coming battle. If this was to be his last morning in this house with his wife then there were things he wanted to do.

He carefully slid out of bed so as not to wake Katrina and went about the early morning necessities. Then he went to his desk, lit a candle and placed it in the shielded holder so the light fell on his desk and not on Katrina. He dipped his pen into the ink well and started his letter. This was not the first of these farewell letters he had written her. He had been in many battles before, but those had been simple battles. This time he was to hunt down and kill a specific enemy. The chance for one on one battle with no where to hide was greater. He finished the letter and sanded it so the ink would dry quicker and blew out the candle.

Much of the earlier hour had passed, but if he didn't linger over breakfast there might be time to say good bye to Katrina in a more private way. He'd make time. Ichabod slid back into bed next to his wife and kissed her awake.

“Ichabod,” Katrina said as she woke and looked at the now lightening sky. “Is something wrong? It is early, my love, why are you awake?”

“I fear there will be a battle today,” Ichabod replied. “I could waste no more time in slumber when I could show you my love.”

He bent his head and kissed her again. This time with an urgency that Katrina picked up on and answered. She, too, could feel that this battle might be different than all the ones before. She was not anxious to let Ichabod face possible death without a proper good bye.

Ichabod slid his hands under the nightgown Katrina wore and pushed it up as far as he could with out breaking the kiss. He pulled back long enough to pull the garment over her head and toss it on the floor. Then he sent his hands roaming down her body with his lips trailing behind, as if he was trying to burn the feel of her skin and the lines of her body into his mind. He caressed down the outside of her legs and kissed his way up the inside. He paused to pay appropriate attention to the secret innermost spot at the juncture of her legs.

Katrina moaned her pleasure at Ichabod's ministrations. This only encouraged Ichabod to continue until she writhed with pleasure as well. Finally Katrina could stand it no more and she threaded her fingers in his hair and gently tugged him away. He kissed his way back up over her flat stomach and paused to worship at her breasts before kissing her soundly again.

Katrina got her hands on the hem of his nightshirt and tugged at it until Ichabod got the hint. He sat back on his heels and pulled off the offending garment.

“Is this what you want?” he teased.

“You know it is,” she laughed back. She sat up and pushed at him until he fell backwards. 

Katrina laughed at the expression of surprise mingled with desire on his face.

“My turn, Husband,” she said as she kissed his thigh, then his hip, stomach, collar bone and that sensitive spot at the juncture of his shoulder and neck.

Ichabod's hands slid down her sides, caressed her hips before he settled them on her buttocks.

Katrina nibbled his ear and whispered, “Now, my love.”

Ichabod entered her with a swift thrust. Katrina set up a rhythm that Ichabod matched. Neither of them lasted long before they tumbled in to satisfied bliss.

Katrina rolled off of Ichabod and snuggled into his side. He wrapped his arm around her as she wrapped an arm across his chest. He kissed the top of her head.

“I wish you did not have to go,” she sighed.

“I have to fight for what I believe in,” he replied.

“I know,” she said. “It is one of the reasons I love you.” She kissed his shoulder. “It is the right thing to do. I believe in the cause but there is a selfish part of me that wishes we could stay like this and you would not have to fight.”

“Someday the fight will be over, we will have a new, free nation,” Ichabod smiled down to her upturned face. “And we can spend all our time here, in bed.”

“We would have to leave sometime,” she replied. He looked at her with a question on his face. “To get food or we would expire of over exertion and starvation.”

Ichabod kissed her. “You are right.” He looked out the window at the light was now full daylight. “Speaking of staving off starvation, I need to break my fast and report to General Washington.”

“And I need to get to the hospital,” Katrina said as she reached for her shift. “If the battle you predict does happen, we will need to be prepared to tend the wounded.”

Ichabod pulled on his breeches and the rest of his uniform. By then Katrina had dressed in the simple outfit she wore to the hospital. Ichabod gave her one last lingering kiss and left to face his fate.

That night, Katrina hurriedly packed a bag with a change of clothes and all the money in the house. The day had gone like she had feared. Ichabod was gone. Not dead, she had made sure of that, but buried and gone all the same. Her coven had turned on her and she had to get away. Not just away, but find answers on how to save Ichabod.

Her gaze slid over to the bed. How happy they had been here. Now it was gone and she would have to find a way to go on until she could revive Ichabod. 

Nine months later she was back in Sleepy Hollow. The Sisterhood still hard on her heels and she was pregnant. She sought out the last sanctuary she knew- Fredericks' Manor. When she set out, all those months ago, she had thought she was going to find a solution soon and her Ichabod would be at her side by now. Now she was going to have to deliver the child and find somewhere safe for him to live so she could continue the search to save her husband. As she labored to bring the child into the world, Katrina remembered the last time she saw her husband that morning of battle. He fought for what he believed in and she had loved him for it. Too bad she was going to have to go on living with the consequences of loving a good man following his conscience.


End file.
